The Snowball Effect
by intoxicatedfloral
Summary: It all started out with an acorn, an introduction, and an invitation. As Haruhi and Mori become more closely acquainted, Haruhi can't help but feel something deeper for the raven-haired host. MoriHaru!
1. Chapter 1

"Okay, so compared to Spain, England's attempt at colonization was a complete and utter embarrassment..." I mutter, nose deep into my history book. My teacher likes springing pop quizzes on us, so you can never be too sure. I'm rereading the parts highlighted throughout the paragraphs and saying them out loud. It helps with memorization.

Lunch break at Ouran is around an hour, meaning one whole hour of prime study-time. I usually eat while studying to maximize the break. In between bites of my sandwich, I mutter facts about the French and Indian war to myself. I stare at my messy notes, trying to distinguish the chicken scratch.

 _Geez, my handwriting is all over the place._ I think, kicking myself for such sloppy penmanship.

While making out whatever it is I wrote down, an acorn hits my head. I ignore it, assuming it's just some birds or a squirrel or something. Seconds later, another hits me. Then another.

"What the hell?" I put my book down, stand up, and look up into the tall tree. I'm squinting behind my glasses, trying to find the source of my annoyance.

Suddenly, another acorn drops. It falls right on the thick frames, making a _clink_ noise. I yelp, surprised, and fall down on my butt.

I immediately take off my glasses and panic. Hopefully they're not damaged; I lost my contacts and these are my only pair. While inspecting them, I hear a voice call out to me.

"Oh no, I'm sorry! Are you okay?" it says.

I rub my sleeve over the lenses. "Don't worry about it. I'm fine." I look up to see the voice's owner and see a little blond boy holding a pink rabbit perched on a branch. That's peculiar. Is he even in high school? He has an Ouran jacket, though, so he must be.

"Sorry again. Usa-chan and I were just playing; I didn't even notice you down there," he says, holding up the pink stuffed animal for me to see, "I'm Mitsukuni, but you can just call me Honey, okay? I'm a third year."

Wait, he's a third year? He looks so young. "Uh, nice to meet you, Honey-senpai. I'm Haruhi."

"You should come by the host club after school today, Haru-chan! I don't know what kind of boys you like, but there's a match for everyone there."

"Excuse me?" I gawk at Honey, speechless.

He taps his finger on his cheek, then says, "Your hair's so short, too, kind of like a boy! That's so cute." He smiles innocently.

 _Are you hearing this from heaven, Mom? This little boy who's actually two years older than me is asking me to go a host club. A host club, Mom._

I stagger back, overwhelmed. "I, uh...I don't know..."

"You could even request me! Takashi, too, but I always have cake, so we could definitely share. Do you like strawberries?"

"Who's Takashi?"

Honey points a figure to his left. "This is my cousin, Takashi. Just call him Mori, though. Takashi, this is Haru-chan."

I look again into the tree. Hidden in the thick foliage is a tall raven-haired boy staring down at me. His dark eyes blink at me and he says in a low voice, "Nice to meet you."

A loud bell chimes signaling lunch is over, ringing in my ears. Honey and his cousin jump down from the tree with ease. I bend down and scramble to gather my things.

"I'll see you at the host club, Haru-chan!" Honey calls out, waving at me, sitting on the boy's shoulders.

I wave back awkwardly. My face flushes as I watch the tall boy walk away.


	2. Chapter 2

I walk up to Music Room 3 and hesitate before opening the giant door. This is where the host club meets? It's just an abandoned music room. Okay, maybe this is a bad idea. I quickly turn on my heels and start to walk away when I hear the door fling open. I groan. Well, no choice now but to go in.

As I step slowly into the room, my nose is attacked with the smell of fresh roses and tea. Four boys appear in front of me. I recognize two of them, the Hitachiin twins, from my grade. The other two- one blond and one with glasses- I'm not so sure.

The blond one extends his hand out towards me and flashes a smile. "Welcome to the host club, my friend. What brings you here?"

"Um, I... This is the host club, right?" I ask.

He stands straight and nods. "I see, you must be a new guest! And telling by your drab, lackluster appearance, you must be a commoner. How exciting this must be for you! To be in the presence of such rich and handsome gentlemen. And so openly gay, too! It's amazing. You're an inspiration to commoners everywhere, young man."

I stand in front of him, frozen and speechless.

 _Mom, I seriously hope you're seeing this right now. These boys think they're running a host club, and this one thinks I'm a boy. He keeps calling me a commoner. I don't think I can handle this much longer._

"I'm not gay," I say quietly, "I'm a girl." I smooth down my hair and take off my glasses momentarily for him to see. His jaw drops and his face grows red.

All of a sudden I see a little blond figure dash towards me. It latches itself onto my legs. I peer down and see it's Honey.

He smiles at me. "Haru-chan, you came! I'm so happy you're here," he cheers. Then, he looks at the group and says, "This is Haru-chan. She's with me." Honey takes me by the hand and drags me to a nearby table.

* * *

"I saved this table just for us," Honey says, "so we won't be bothered! Here, sit next to me." He pats the spot next to him on a plush couch.

I take the seat and smile gratefully. When I sit down, he gives me the stuffed rabbit again. At first, I refuse it gently, but he stares at me expectantly with big, innocent eyes so I can't resist. Honey's cousin Mori- the tall one- is in front of us, vacant expression on his face. I avoid eye contact by plastering my gaze onto the pink plush on my lap.

For a while, I sit quietly and listen to Honey while tells me about his day, his adventures with Usa-chan, and his recent gripes. My head nods occasionally to show that I'm still engaged in the conversation.

Thirty minutes later, my stomach rumbles. I cringe when I hear the low growl and immediately hug my gut in hopes to reduce the noise. Believe me, the tea they gave me is phenomenal. Hell, it's even on fancy china. But it's been hours since I last ate, so my fuel tank's running on empty.

I can't suppress the noise, and Honey catches on. He looks at me, concerned. "Haru-chan, are you hungry? Because we have this great cake, and now that I think about it, cake sounds really good right now, so I guess I'm hungry, too."

"No, thank you," I politely decline, "I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

He completely disregards what I say and promptly runs off to fetch some sweets, leaving me with Mori.

Not sure of what to say, I awkwardly twiddle my thumbs, dying for Honey to come back.

"How has your day been, Haruhi?"

I quickly look up at Mori, who hasn't said a word to me until now. My name comes out like smooth caramel as he says it, and I instantly wish he'd repeat it over and over. "Me? I guess it was okay. Uneventful. How about you?" I manage.

"Boring for me, too."

I try to respond with some witty comeback, but struggle to find the right words. Mori turns his head and stares out of a window. My hand moves towards my face and pushes up my glasses- one of my nervous habits.

Honey returns with three platters, each with a small slice of vanilla cake adorned with strawberries and white cream. When he sets them down on the table, I notice the excitement in his eyes. Before he shoves a fork-load into his mouth, he turns to me.

"Haru-chan, do you like strawberries? I can get us another cake if you want."

"Actually," I say, picking up a fork, "they're my favorite." I scoop up a corner of the golden sponge and bring it to my lips. It melts in my mouth, and my heart races.

 _Oh my God, it's so good. I haven't had anything so decadent before. Does all the food rich people eat taste like this?_

My thoughts are interrupted when I hear the soft clinking of metal against porcelain. I turn and see Mori shoveling his strawberries onto my plate.

"You can have mine, then."

"Wow, thanks, Mori-senpai. That's so kind of you." I smile brightly at him.

* * *

Surprisingly, I find myself with Honey and Mori until club activities end. Seeing that I am one of the remaining lingering girls, I decide that it's time to go.

"I should get going. I had a great time- thank you for having me." I stand up, hinting towards my departure.

Immediately, Honey and Mori stand up, too. The little blond host grins at me.

"No, thank you for spending the afternoon with me! I had fun. Are you gonna come back to hang out again?"

"Oh, I don't know... I wouldn't want to be a burden," I run my hand through my hair absently. "Besides, I'm sure you have other clients to look after."

Honey looks up at me with sad eyes again, and his bottom lip quivers. His little hands are folded. Giving in, I sigh and nod.

He squeals my name, thrilled, and tackles me. He clings onto me and my ears are filled with incoherent cheering. I stand awkwardly, unsure of what to do. Surely it'd be rude to push him off, so I remain stiff, overwhelmed.

"Mori-senpai," I cry out desperately. "Help me!"

Instantly, he rushes over and releases me from his cousin's iron grip, lifting me up into the air. His face remains as stoic as ever, as if he's had to do this hundreds of times, but I can't help but feel the blood rush to my face.

"Takashi?" Honey says, on the floor. He stares at Mori, surprised and confused.

Realizing that I'm still in his arms, I panic. "Uh, Mori-senpai..." My face feels hot, and I'm sure it's as red as an apple.

He lets out a small grunt and sets me back down onto the ground carefully.

When my feet hit the floor, I bolt towards the exit. I call out a goodbye to Honey as I leave and close the heavy door behind me. I exhale in relief and regain some level of sanity.

My footsteps echo against the endless empty hallways. I try to ignore my pounding heartbeat as I scurry away.


	3. Chapter 3

While waiting for class to start, I pull out my binder and start rifling through some algebra notes. I like reviewing past lessons just to refresh my memory. While looking over formulas, I feel a tap on my shoulder. I turn my head and see two red haired boys.

"Hey, Haruhi," the one of the right says, "Good morning."

"Oh, hi, Hikaru. Hi, Kaoru." I put my papers down and turn to face them.

Hikaru nudges Kaoru, and he nods.

"By the way, Haruhi," he says, "the boss said we're all gonna go out to some theme park this weekend. Honey-senpai told Hikaru and I to ask if you'd want to come. Apparently you've struck a chord with him- he really likes you."

"Uh, sure. I guess I'll tag along." The pair notices my notes and bends down to look at them.

"What are those?" Kaoru asks.

"They're just some stuff I wrote down during algebra. Doesn't hurt to study. Besides, we're not all here because of our parents' fortunes, you know."

"Oh, yeah," Hikaru says, "I keep forgetting you got in for scholarship. You see, Kaoru? At least _someone's_ good at math."

The left twin glares at his brother. "Shut up, idiot. No one asked you anyway."

"I could tutor you, if you want." I offer.

Kaoru looks at me gratefully. "Really? Thanks. Who knew commoners could be so helpful?"

 _These damn rich people._

* * *

My mouth drops when I reach the Hitachiin front porch. My legs tremble as I stand in front of the huge embellished door. Is this seriously their house?

 _This is probably ten times bigger than my place. Imagine how much stuff you can fit in there..._

I reach out and knock twice on the door. Before I try a third, the door swings open and I'm greeted by the twins.

At this point, I get my first glimpse of the inside of their home. My jaw falls open again, and I'm speechless. The bag in my hand falls to the floor while my eyes take it all in.

"Y-your marble floors shine brighter than my future probably ever will..." I mutter.

Hikaru bursts out in laughter. "I think we just broke her, Kaoru. Look, she's probably swallowed two flies by now! Poor people are just great."

After getting a punch in the arm, Hikaru falls quiet. Kaoru steps out onto the doorstep, picks up my bag, and throws it over his shoulder. Then, placing his hands on my own shoulders, he gently pushes me into the mansion.

"Come on, Haruhi," he says, "you're letting out the cold air."

He leads me upstairs to a giant study. Finally, I snap out of my daze and look around. The walls are covered with bookshelves and paintings.

I walk up to one- a simple, delicate model sketch of a dress- and admire it. "Wow, this is really beautiful." I say.

"Our mother is a fashion designer." they call out.

Suddenly, I run over to Kaoru and take my bag. "I almost forgot," I say, digging through my stuff. "I brought you this." I hold up a bag of instant coffee for them to see. "Thank you for letting me into your home."

Hikaru awkwardly takes it from me. "Uh, thanks. You really didn't have to, Haruhi. We're rich, remember? This really has no place in here; we have all sorts of special coffee already. Some from places you've probably never even-"

"Nevertheless, we appreciate your gift," Kaoru interrupts, "If anything, I owe you, since you have to waste an hour here with me." He shoots a mean look at his brother who raises his hands defensively and walks out of the room.

"No, I don't mind," I give him an easy smile. "So, you ready?"

* * *

Kaoru rolls onto his back and slaps his forehead. "I give up. Math is stupid and never in my life will this be useful."

I laugh and put my notebook down. "Oh, come on. It's not that bad."

He sits up and rolls his eyes. "Says the honor student."

"Okay, okay," I reply, crawling over to where he is "one more time. This one's easy, I swear." I stare at him intently, then grab his face in my hands. "If _y_ equals _b_ to the power of _x_ , then naturally _x_ equals log, base _b_ , of _y_. So, Kaoru, what is log, base _2_ , of 3, equals _3_ in exponential form?" The words are slow and deliberate as I utter them.

"Uh... four? Wait, no! _Negative_ four."

I groan and let go of him, exasperated. "That's it, I need a break. Why are you so bad at math?"

"I'm a host, Haruhi. The only numbers I know are my hairstylist's phone number." He throws his pencil at me, and it bounces off my forearm.

I collapse next to him onto the carpet. "You're exhausting, Kaoru."

He looks at me. " _I'm_ exhausting? You're the one shoving the entire history of algebra into my head! I'm no Einstein."

"Einstein's actually known for his contributions to science, but that's alright. You were close. A for effort."

"Not going to lie, I'm torn between strangling you or pushing you off a balcony right now. I don't get how Honey-senpai puts up with you so much. I have no idea why he wants you to come with us to the fair."

"You and me both," I lean back against my arms. "Hey, can I ask you a question?"

He nods, and I say, "What do you know about Mori-senpai? I mean, he's practically mute, so I don't know much about him."

"Well, the Morinozukas served the Haninozukas for generations, until they joined through marriage. Mori-senpai probably still feels like he needs to play the servant role, so he's sworn to Honey-senpai's side."

"Wow, that's awfully loyal of him."

Karou lets out a small laugh. "I think that's what the girls love so much about him: his dedication and faithfulness. He's actually quite popular. Honey-senpai probably has a lot to do with that. He kind of cancels out how scary Mori-senpai can be."

"Does he get asked out a lot? I'm imagining a mile long line of hopeful bachelorettes."

Kaoru scoffs. "Like you wouldn't believe. He always turns them down, though. Maybe he's waiting for the right one or something."

I chew absently on my pen and stare off into space. I guess my head's stuck in the clouds a little too long, because Kaoru waves his hand in front of my face.

"Haruhi? Are you okay?"

I blink through my thoughts and clap my hands together. "Right. You ready for round two? We can go over factoring again."

An agonizing groan fills the air, followed by several complaints.


	4. Chapter 4

There are better things that I could be doing on a Saturday afternoon. Better, productive things. For example, homework. Homework is always an option. That said, I have no idea why I'm here, with the host club, at a theme park, holding Honey's hand in my left and his half-eaten cotton candy in my right.

At 9 AM, I was awoken by singsongy voices calling out, "Haruhiiii! Please come out to play!"

My dad goes to work early, which means I get to sleep-in unbothered. I didn't know we were going to leave _that_ early, so imagine my annoyance when I had to drag myself out of bed just to see everyone at my doorstep.

Let's put it this way: if the death stare really worked, I'd have six bodies to hide.

While the boys marveled at my house and how "cozy" it is, I ran into the shower and threw on some clothes. The good thing about short hair is that the drying time gets cut in half. We were driven down to the park in a limo (a _limo_ , for Christ's sake), paid for our tickets, and the day was officially ours for the taking.

* * *

"So, what do you guys wanna ride now?" Kaoru asks. We just left a sweets cart, to which Honey almost fainted over. After some serious thought, he settled for the pink floss.

"That one." Hikaru points a finger at a bright green track. I look up at the monster and instantly feel dizzy. My head hurts as I follow at the endless twists and turns, loops, and high altitude. The twins grin at each other and immediately begin rallying for it.

Kyoya pushes up his glasses. "I don't see why not. Seems like the most interesting ride here, at least. Tamaki?"

The blond host claps his hands excitedly and nods. "Can I ride with Haruhi?"

"No way in hell. I'm sitting with Honey-senpai. You'll sit with Kyoya-senpai." I'm almost paralyzed as I stare at the coaster (and hear the deafening screams coming from it), and my complexion turns pale.

Honey lets go of my hand and scratches his head. "Actually, I don't think I'll be able to ride with you guys. I still haven't finished my cotton candy, and I don't want it to go to waste."

 _This is it. This is my chance. The perfect excuse._

"Oh, well, I'll wait with you, senpai."

"No," he says. "You can just ride with Takashi. Go on ahead; I'll be right here waiting!" He waves his hand at us.

 _Damn it._

Before I can protest, the twins drag me into the endless line, with Tamaki, Kyoya, and Mori following closely behind. The wait time posted at the entrance reads 2.5 hours. My mouth drops. Two and a half hours for a one minute ride? This is ridiculous. I'm about to open my mouth and suggest we turn back, but Kyoya has his phone to his ear. After a minute, he hangs up and nods at us.

"We're clear to go to the front. My father knows the owner of this park."

 _These damn rich people_.

* * *

I'm strapped into my seat, feet dangling in open air. Every possible outcome is running through my head: the ride breaks down when we go upside-down, my harness unlatches and I fall flat onto concrete, the cart goes off-track and we plummet to our demise. I sit frozen with fear.

Kyoya and Tamaki are in the front, followed by Hikaru and Kaoru, then Mori and me. They're all cheering and whooping out (Kyoya settling with his smirk and Mori silent, as usual), but I can't bring myself to their level.

The ride hasn't even started yet, but I'm already losing my cool. I imagine what it'll be like at the top- what a dumb idea- and instantly regret it. We'll be about 200 feet into the air, and the fact that this particular roller coaster is floorless doesn't help. My head whips up.

"This ride is really big." I chuckle nervously.

Mori leans forward and looks at me. "Are you scared?"

"Me? Scared? No way. I'm just, you know, trying to avoid thinking about my imminent death any moment now." I keep my gaze forward and resort to gripping the metal bars on my harness.

"You can hold my hand, if you want."

I blink at him while he holds out his left hand for me. I smile gratefully and take it with my shaky one.

His is giant in comparison to mine, but I'm still relieved. When I hear the mechanical click and see that we're slowly inching towards the agonizing long incline, I panic again. My eyes squeeze shut and my body tenses up. Hopefully my hands aren't too sweaty.

"Haruhi," Mori says. I force myself to look at him, stricken with anticipation, yet still eager to hear my name once more. "It's okay. We're just going up." He offers a small- practically nonexistent, but I see the slight upturn of his mouth- smile and slightly squeezes my hand. Mori returns his gaze to the front and calmly rests his head against the headrest as if this is no big deal.

We finally reach the top, and my heart is beating straight out my chest. The ride slows down, intensifying the suspense. My ears are filled with adrenaline-filled howls from the boys. The people from this height look like specks of dirt, and the wind is whipping through my hair. I swear it goes silent for a second; either that or I managed to tune everything out.

Right before the ride falls, I grip Mori's hand again, exhale, and a scream escapes from my lungs.

* * *

My legs are shaky. I have no words. I'm sure I look like I've seen death itself (which I basically have), and pure terror is plastered across my face.

Tamaki insists we see our photo- the one that gets taken at the drop. When he runs to the counter, we all follow. The woman at the stand hands us each a copy, and I immediately feel my skin turn red hot.

"Oh my God. I look like an idiot." The camera caught me right between a shriek: eyes shut, hair flying in all sorts of directions, and mouth wide open. I scan over everyone else. Tamaki is dying of laughter, Kyoya has his hands in the air, and the twins have somehow managed to make funny faces. When I check out Mori, my mouth drops.

I show the picture to him. "You're straight-faced. How? Meanwhile, I look incredibly stupid."

He bends down and inspects it. "You look fine."

"No, I don't! You, on the other hand, have _zero_ emotion here. Always so stoic, senpai." When he shrugs, I review the photo again, then back at him. "Were you even scared?"

"My life flashed before my eyes, Haruhi."

I laugh and run my thumb over the glossy print. "This _is_ a really cute picture, though. We all look hilarious- I love it."

"I'll buy it for you, then." Despite my constant refusal, Mori hands the cashier a bill. She hands him back a framed version, which he promptly gives to me. I thank him again, and he responds by ruffling my hair.

Honey-senpai comes running over, sugar crystals all over his mouth. He instantly heads for Mori, who picks him up and places him on his shoulders. The seven of us make our way out of the concessions stand, me trailing behind the lot.

"Takashi," Honey says, "I tried to wave to you, but I think the ride was going too fast! I could hardly catch up. Was it scary up there?"

"Not really."

Mori glances over his shoulder at me and winks.


	5. Chapter 5

Unless they're involved in club activities or have some sort of appointment, most students leave school once it ends. The school turns deadly silent when that happens. I either take the subway or walk home, which can be quite a drag when the sun's at its highest point. Seriously, it's like walking through a desert. To avoid the heat exhaustion, I stay behind for a couple hours. It passes by quickly when you keep yourself busy.

As I roam the empty corridors, my footsteps bounce off the walls, making a satisfying echo. In my hands is a stack of various notebooks, folders, and loose papers. I have a pen between my teeth (I hate keeping one behind my ear like most people do).

My feet stop at a random column, deciding this is far enough. I drop my stuff on the ground, and subsequently lean against the marble pillar. When I let a deep sigh out, it's the only thing my ears pick up, other than the occasional bird.

 _It's so peaceful here._ I think, looking around. _Not a soul for miles._

My attention focuses onto the heaping pile of work in front of me, and I immerse myself in the thing I do best.

* * *

"Please, Takashi-kun, say something!"

My eyes open immediately, alarmed from the high-pitched cry. I groan, rub my head, and blink away the fuzziness. The pen is still in my mouth, barely hanging on.

 _I guess I fell asleep._ _I wonder when I exactly passed out?_

The voice comes back- this time even more shrill. "Why aren't you saying anything?" it cries.

Carefully, I poke my head from the side of my column and peer down the hall, curious to know what's happening. It takes me a moment, but my head paints a clear enough picture.

There's a girl in front of a boy, and they're talking. The boy's back is facing me, so I can't see his face. After a couple seconds of eavesdropping, I suddenly realize it's Mori.

The girl is trembling. "I have feelings for you, Takashi-kun," she says, voice coming out like strangled whisper, "I need to know. Do you feel the same way?"

Mori doesn't say a word. I'm sure his face reads the same, because the poor girl breaks down.

"Don't just stand there!" Her head drops to the floor, and her words come out staggered between sniffles. "What is it? What's wrong with me? Am I so horrible that you can't even speak to me?"

My heart sinks. When she bursts into tears and runs away, I'm speechless. Of course, I'm not involved in the conversation at all- in fact, I'm watching from a distance and listening in- but my stomach wrenches for her. The pen falls from my mouth, and it clatters as it slides across the ground.

"Oh, crap." I mumble, scrambling to snatch it up. I get down on my hands and knees and slowly crawl to retrieve the pen, hoping to God Mori doesn't notice me. The plan fails miserably.

"What are you doing?" Mori says from the end of the hall.

I curse in my head and stand up nervously, trying to appear nonchalant. He walks over and towers over me.

The words come out clumsily. "Oh, you know. Just studying. I dropped my pen. No big deal." He blinks at me, and I change the subject. "What are you doing here?"

"Kendo meeting."

"Oh, I see..." I look up and study his face. My head replays the whole situation. He just broke that girl's heart and doesn't even seem phased. How cold. I remember her endless tears, and imagine them on me. My whole disposition changes.

"Sorry to eavesdrop, but we both know I did, so there's no point in avoiding it. No offense, senpai, but you just turned that girl down."

"So?"

I cross my arms, annoyed. "Does that happen a lot?"

He shrugs. "I guess."

"That girl just poured her soul out, and you just flushed it down the drain like a dead fish. How can you reject so many girls and not feel an inch of remorse?"

"It's not a crime to not have feelings for someone back."

"And out of your long list of suitresses, not a single one interests you?"

Mori crosses his arms, too. He shakes his head. I throw my hands up, exasperated. Instantly I start pacing the hall, walking back and forth in front of him.

"You're ruthless." I mutter. Mostly it's a note for myself, a warning, a big hazard sign screaming out bloody murder.

 _How is it that he makes my stomach flip inside out and my blood boil all at the same time?_

The tall host places a hand on my shoulder, forcing me to stop. When I meet his eyes, he doesn't seem offended as I would've pictured. "I haven't found someone yet- that doesn't make me ruthless. It's naive to think I'd fall for every girl I meet."

I roll my eyes and scoff. When he sees this, he cocks his head.

"Why are you getting so worked up over this?"

"Senpai, when was the last time you were in love?" I need to know that there's _something_ in there, that I'm not just chasing the clouds.

He turns silent, and his hand drops from my shoulder. It falls to his side.

Suddenly I feel like the girl earlier, except each second that passes fuels my irritation, not despair. I push up my glasses, bend down to gather my things, and face the raven-haired boy in front of me. I pause expectantly, but he remains mute.

Finally, I turn on my heels and walk away, leaving him in the company of empty halls and the occasional bird chirp.

* * *

 **AN: I hate putting in author notes in the middle of stories, so I apologize. Anyways, I hope you all don't despise this chapter! I felt like the story needed some more depth, some drama if you will. Stay tuned everyone, the story is far from over.**


	6. Chapter 6

"Haru-chan, are you okay?"

I shake out of my daydream and regain focus on the little blond boy below me. I nod, and he continues droning on.

Honey's head is resting on my lap and I absently twirl the ends of his hair with my fingertips. "Anyway, as I was saying, this weekend was so great. It was really busy."

"Oh, cool. What did you do?" I'm sure the words come out uninterested and dull, but he doesn't seem to notice.

"Takashi and I went to a party. It was for some lady benefactor, but there were tons of sweets! I had the best time."

"Wow, did you?"

He bobs his head up and down and grins. "Yeah, Takashi even had to stop me from eating so much."

"What a killjoy." As I say this, I give a cold stare to Mori, who's sitting across us. For a second, I see an expression of confusion flash across his face. I roll my eyes at him and look away. "Excuse me, I'm going to get some tea."

Mori instantly stands up- like any polite host should- but I stop him. "I'm not an invalid. I can get it myself." Honey sits up and looks at me, then back at his cousin.

The tea cart is stationed in front of a wide window that overlooks the garden. I lean against the window sill and take a deep breath, admiring the lot of rose bushes. My thoughts are interrupted by two looming figures.

"Hi Hikaru. Hi Kaoru." I say absently. My attention is still on the garden below.

The two boys come next to me, one at each side. The older one speaks.

"What're you looking at?"

I gesture at the flowers. "Can I open this window? Fresh air sounds nice right about now."

Hikaru shrugs and leans forward to undo the window's latch. The glass swings open and I breath in cool, crisp air.

Kaoru puts his elbow on my shoulder. Quietly, he says, "Haruhi, let's talk later. I've got a message for you."

Before I can react, he slides away, pulling Hikaru along with him. When I come back to my table, I see the same look of confusion, this time dashed with concern.

* * *

"Wait up!" Kaoru runs down the hall to catch up to me. I look back and see his fleeting figure but keep walking anyway. When he reaches me, he puts a hand on my shoulder and makes me stop.

"Haruhi," he says between breaths, "you could have at least waited for me."

I shrug, then offer a lame apology.

"Moving on. So, what's your deal?"

I cross my arms. "What are you talking about?"

"You know, the whole 'Ice Queen' act."

"Excuse me?"

"Oh, come on, Haruhi. You've given Mori-senpai a run for his money, being so frigid. It's been a week. When are you going to stop?"

"I mean, I guess I have been a little forward," I muse, "But I have my reasons."

"Anyway, he asked me to talk to you. He seems to think he's done something wrong, but can't put his finger on it. Humor me, what happened?"

Kaoru leans in close, intrigued look on his face. As he draws closer, I blink uneasily.

"Well, it's none of your business, Kaoru, but all I'm saying is that Mori-senpai is an emotionless creature unable to feel any sort of compassion."

The younger twin crosses his arms and shakes his head. "No, that's Kyoya-senpai. Mori-senpai is a nice guy, you know. In fact, he sent me to ask if you were free today after school. He wants to take you on a date."

I can't hide my shock. "Why does he want to take _me_ on a date?"

"Nothing romantic, of course. Just a few hours between friends, is all. Think of it as an 'I'm sorry for whatever it is I did, but please forgive me' date. So, being the nice guy I am, I've already told him that you'd love to go out with him!"

Before I can help myself, my fist makes contact with Kaoru's upper arm. He lets out a little yelp, then rubs the wound.

"What the hell, Kaoru? You can't just do that!"

He grins. "He's going to pick you up from your last class at the end of the day."

Before I can protest, he walks away, interlocking his fingers on his head.

"Don't forget to tell me how the date goes, Haruhi." He chimes, laughing.

* * *

 **AN: Sorry it's so short (and that it's been almost a month)! School has me so occupied ._. The next few chapters are going to be much longer, though! x**


	7. Chapter 7

Only ten minutes before the dismissal bell rings, everyone starts to pack up. I ignore the shuffling; they're all too excited to leave. Me, on the other hand, I have my priorities straight. I remain focused on the blackboard covered in white script. English is definitely not my favorite subject, but a little struggle never hurt anybody.

I don't even pay attention to the numerous gasps that come from the students. I just assumed it was some piece of useless gossip. However, I _did_ notice my teacher's stern voice and the whispers that accompanied it.

"Morinozuka, can I help you?"

Heads turn, including mine. When I meet eyes with Mori, I mentally groan. I immediately cover my face with my hands, embarrassed. Are you kidding me? I know Kaoru said he'd pick me up when school ended, but right now?

"I'm here for Haruhi."

My face reddens beneath my hands as I hear the crowd whisper. They're all in shock. _Isn't that Takashi Morinozuka, the third year? What's he want with some commoner? She was probably caught stealing from him, and now she's going to pay! Are they dating? Maybe he's doing some sort of charity project._

The teacher takes a glance at me and pushes up his glasses. Much to my relief, he says to Mori, "Ah, yes, Fujioka. I'm afraid you'll have to wait until class is over. There is no special treatment here."

Flatly, Mori replies, "I'll be here, then."

I suppose this is a huge scandal for my classmates to witness because the quiet voices and stolen looks continue. When I peek behind my fingers, I see Mori leaning against the door frame, arms crossed.

The bell rings all too soon.

A flock of girls immediately swarms over the tall figure in the doorway, completely surrounding him. They bombard him with love notes, adoring squeals, and girlish compliments. Despite the hoard of girls at his feet, he remains uninterested.

"Come on, let's go." Mori says. The flock swoons, and each girl begins to point at herself. I roll my eyes.

 _These girls have no self-respect. Come on, ladies. Get it together._

Mori pushes through his admirers and walks towards me, stopping at my desk. He looks down at me and repeats, "Let's go."

I put the last of my things in my backpack and stand up. As I face the raven-haired boy, my face remains expressionless. Without hesitation, my hand strikes his cheek and a resounding crack fills the air, inadvertently pulling today's second scandal into effect.

The room falls immediately silent. The girls stare at me, half out of confusion and half out of pure anger, but overall confusion plagues them.

Keeping my head down, I walk past Mori, past the incredulous group of suitresses, and through the classroom door.

He pauses for a moment, then quickly turns on his heels to follow me. I wait for him outside, saving him the run down the hall.

"I may not be as rich as you all, but don't treat me as if you own me, senpai. Respect my boundaries, and I'll respect yours."

Mori nods. "Forgive me for making a scene, and for anything I've done to inconvenience you."

When I steal a glance, he looks genuinely sorry. Not entirely sure what for, but sorry nonetheless. I take what I can get, and exhale.

"Well, okay then. We're good. Sorry for slapping you, by the way. Are you alright?"

He shrugs. "It didn't hurt. You have tiny hands."

* * *

"You can put me down now. It's probably only bruised." I say. I've been carried for the past fifteen minutes and although Mori seems to be at no discomfort (not to mention I'm enjoying the luxury of not walking), the weird stares from other people are starting to creep me out.

Mori, however, doesn't agree. He continues to hold me in his arms and pushes onward. Midway through our date, I accidentally slipped walking down some steps and completely ate it, tumbling down the remainder of the stairs. Mori instantly ran down the flight and inspected my foot. When he touched it, I groaned out in pain. I tried playing it off, but he didn't buy the lame attempt and proceeded to lift me up and carry me home, cutting our time together short.

"Uh, Mori-senpai? I said you can let me down. I'm fine."

He turns his head to face me and blinks. "You fell down the stairs. You're not fine."

I roll my eyes. "Oh, please. I can walk. I'm not completely helpless, you know." Then, I smile earnestly to show my recovery. "Seriously. Let me walk."

He reluctantly lowers me, making sure my feet make full contact with the ground first. When I land on the pavement, I sigh.

"Sorry the date got cut short. Thanks for taking me around the city, though. I think we landed some good pictures." I pull out my phone and scroll through the feed. "Wait..." I say, looking at the photos closer.

I hold out the phone and show him the screen. "Why aren't you smiling in any of these? You look miserable."

He bends down and checks. "I smiled."

"What? That's such a lie! Smiling means that you look happy," I stare again, then notice the _slight_ upturn of his mouth. "Okay, fine. I guess you smiled. Still, that's not a real smile, so it doesn't count."

When he shrugs, I throw my hands up in exasperation. "Well, whatever. I suppose it doesn't really matter. Even if you didn't show it, I know you had fun. I certainly did."

Minutes later, we reach the apartment complexes. I already see my neighbors gathering, shocked that a Morinozuka is even in my presence.

Quickly, I mumble, "This is me. Thanks for walking me home, senpai." I look up at him and smile.

"No problem, it was fun."

I stand there awkwardly, unsure of what to do next. Why's he just standing there? Why isn't he going home? Is he waiting for me to go inside?

Before I can ask myself another question, Mori bends down and kisses my cheek. Nothing special, just a little peck. My nose is flooded with the faint scent of mint and aftershave.

"Have a good night, Haruhi."

He waves a little salute goodbye, turns on his heels, and leaves. My hand instantly goes to my cheek. Well, that was unexpected.

As I stick my apartment key into the lock, I can't hide the incredibly stupid (and cliche) grin on my face. 


	8. Chapter 8

My father is no fool. He likes to believe a firm grip on my life, but deep down he knows I ultimately go out and do whatever I please. My judgement's a little more clear, to be fair. He lets me handle things on my own- well, actually, I do things myself and don't tell him. He's a busy man. Take my entrance forms for Ouran Academy, for example. Practically done by yours truly.

This, however, does not apply in all situations.

"So," he says nonchalantly behind a magazine, "you've been spending a lot of time with that Morinozuka fellow lately. You know, the tall one. It's been a week and I haven't said more than two words to the young man. It seems like you're keeping us from meeting each other."

I don't bother to look up from my laptop. "Yeah, I am."

"Why not? Let me meet him! Oh, please, Haruhi. I'll be good," my dad runs to my side and forces eye contact, inches away from my face. I notice the light shadow of stubble on his cheek. "I promise! He'll just love me."

"What's the sudden interest for?"

He sinks. "I see it in your face. You're flushed whenever you walk in the door, honey."

'Maybe it's just hot in this house. Or maybe I'm sunburnt." I check the time on my laptop and groan. "I'm gonna be late, dad. Hikaru, Kaoru, and I are supposed to meet up in 15 minutes, so I've gotta go. I'll see you later." I grab my backpack from the couch, pull on some sneakers, and run out the front door.

* * *

"Dear god, Haruhi, what are you wearing? We're in _public_." Hikaru says to me. Kaoru subtly punches him for the rude comment and apologizes to me.

He smiles sheepishly. "Sorry, Haruhi. Still haven't full trained the lil pup quite yet. Once they meet strangers, it's hard to keep them under control."

Hikaru rubs where he was hit, then quickly says, "Just kidding. I see you're going for that 'just rolled out of bed' look. Nice, nice. The sweatpants are an excellent touch."

I look down at my outfit. "Shut up, Hikaru. They're comfortable. Besides, I came here to share a cup of coffee with you two, not to get insulted."

Kaoru grabs my hand and pulls me into the cafe. "Come on, then. In we go. My treat, of course."

* * *

The waitress comes back ten minutes after we order. She places Hikaru's decaf blonde roast, Kaoru's Americano, and my plain black (two sugars) roast on our table, drops a check, then leaves quietly.

We sit and idly chat for a few minutes about school and things of the like. Soon, the younger twin has a grin across his face.

He wraps his fingers around his steaming porcelain mug and says, "So, how was your date? Or should I say dates? It seems you've got Mori in the palm of your hand. How many has it been so far? 6? 7?"

Hikaru's eyes widen. "Dates? What dates? Since when are you dating, Haruhi?"

"Okay, one, they're not dates. And two, not that it's any of your business, but we're not dating. We're just hanging out. Calm down, you two."

The twins look at each other suspiciously then nod. They look at me and chime, "You like him, don't you?"

I almost choke on my coffee. "Definitely not." This is ridiculous. What are we, giggling schoolgirls at a sleepover?

"Oh, come on," Kaoru says, "you know you do. I think he likes you, too. He was telling me about the last couple times you were together. Why don't you just jump the gun and make it official?"

"I don't see that happening." I reply nonchalantly, then take a sip from my cup. They look at me, intrigued, and I shrug. "We're not a very likely couple."

Kaoru rolls his eyes. "Sure, but it's not like that's a reason you shouldn't at least try. I bet Mori's crazy about you."

"He probably is, Haruhi. What a cute couple you'd make. Lovely." Hikaru says flatly. I can't help but notice how uninterested he suddenly looks.

"Uh, thanks, guys," I say, eyeing Hikaru, but return to the coffee in my hands, "but I can't stress it enough: I don't think I'd stand a chance, if there even was one."

"Then let's find out. I hate playing the waiting game." Kaoru pulls out his phone and dials a number. He winks at me while waiting for the receiver to pick up. Seconds later, he smiles. "Hello there, Mori-senpai. How are you this fine morning?"

Instant panic settles in. My eyes widen and I instantly try to snatch the phone out of his hands. He dodges my advances, holds up a finger at me, and sticks his tongue out. I look at Hikaru desperately, but he looks away.

 _You're so dead._ I mouth at Kaoru. He makes a face at me, then refocuses on the phone call.

"Kendo? That's wonderful. So, I was just wondering, what do you think of Haruhi? I'm gonna need you to really spell it out for me, big guy."

I stare at Hikaru, defeated, and he returns the glazed over look. "Your brother will be the death of me." He rolls his eyes in agreement, and we share a small laugh.

Kaoru excitedly slaps my arm and gestures at his phone. "So you like her, is what I'm gathering here? That's perfect, big guy, because I'll have you know, Haruhi has the hots for you, too. Now, as your counselor, I advise you go ahead and set things straight- _pronto._ I'm talking boyfriend-girlfriend stuff here, senpai. Got it?" After a resounding humph, Kaoru hangs up the phone and smiles triumphantly.

"I can't believe you just did that. You're lucky I don't strangle you."

"Save the dramatics for later. You owe me your life now!"

Hikaru nods. "True. So, Haruhi, what's your game plan? Things seem to be falling into place." I notice the younger twin steal a concerned glance at his counterpart.

"Not sure. I should probably tell my dad, before he finds out himself."

* * *

"Oh, this is just wonderful!"

Flowers. Flowers everywhere. Confetti, too. Imagine the sketchbook of a five year old girl (think princesses, rainbows, unicorns, etc) and multiply that by ten. That is my father's reaction.

He is more than thrilled. Once I tell him, he takes me in his arms and hugs me, then proceeds to jump up and down. It was as if he'd just won the lottery. In the midst of his excitement, he notices my lack thereof.

"What's wrong, dear?"

I shrug. "I don't know what to do from here."

He laughs lightly, then grabs my shoulders. "If I've learned one thing about you, Haruhi," he says, "it's that you figure things out. Let things run its course. Soon enough you'll understand. It's what you do best."

When I shrug again, he rolls his eyes and pushes me towards my bedroom. He tells me to take a break for once.

My hands reach for my planner filled with due dates, reminders, appointments. So much to do, so little time.

"Break" is not in my vocabulary.


	9. Chapter 9

Monday morning was a little more than awkward. I skirted the halls, running from class to class. Avoidance is my favorite way to approach conflict. Is conflict the right word for the whole situation? Not sure. Kyoya caught up to me first.

"What are you doing?" he said while I was hiding out in the library.

I look up from my book quickly. "What do you mean? We're in a library, and libraries have books. I'm holding one right now. Therefore, I'm in a library, and I'm reading."

He stares at me, unamused. "Shut up. You're rambling, Haruhi. You know that I know."

Eyes wide, I whisper, " _You know_?"

"Practically everyone knows. It's not everyday a third year, especially one as -erm- _unattainable_ \- as Mori-senpai, is rumored to have romantic feelings for someone like you."

"Gee, thanks, senpai."

He adjusts his glasses and shrugs. "No offense, of course. It's quite childish that you're hiding from your problems. You'd best talk him, especially before Tamaki finds you. I'm not sure how he'll take it. You know, with the whole loving you thing. Then again, our king _does_ love a classic romantic drama." He pauses for a moment, then a grin spreads across his face. He pulls out his little black notebook and scribbles something down. "Everyone loves a good love triangle. Remind me to release new merchandise for the clients."

I roll my eyes. I tell him how typical and insensitive he's being. When he shrugs, my eyes can't help but roll to the back of my head again.

"Well, I suggest you'd either duck into those nearby shelves stocked with fantasy novels, or grow a pair. He found you. Tag, you're it." Kyoya smiles, amused, then walks away.

My mind instantly goes for the first option, but by the time I shoot straight up out of my chair, it's too late.

"Hey, Haruhi."

 _Shoot. Almost made it._ I wince and scrunch up my face in defeat. As I stand up from my crouching position, I say as nonchalantly as possible, "Good morning, Mori-senpai."

"Are you avoiding me?"

"What? Me? Avoiding you? You're so funny! Why would I? Who's avoiding who? Definitely not me. To you, I mean. I'm not avoiding you." I mentally kick myself for the awkward response.

He bears a look of amusement. "You're rambling, Haruhi."

 _There he goes, dropping my name again. It sends an electric jolt down my spine._ "That's the second time someone's told me that today."

"Well, you are. It's kind of endearing."

I scoff. "More like embarrassing. Maybe I should take a tip from you, and stay silent."

Mori-senpai takes a small step towards me, and I take one big one backwards defensively. Soon, there are no more steps to take because my back is pressed against the shelves marked "Fantasy" and my heart is racing and my skin feels hot and my face begins to flush. "This is a disaster," I whisper. He's staring at me with an intensity that I cannot reciprocate, so my eyes instantly drop to my feet.

He hovers over me, one arm rested on the books and the other at his side. "Really?" he says, voice low. When his other arm suddenly snakes around my waist and draws me in closer, I gasp and hold in my breath. He stares at me with piercing grey eyes and grins as he lowers down to meet my face. There's about two inches between us, and my nose is greeted by the familiar scents of mint and aftershave.

"Because I think it's quite fun."


	10. Chapter 10

"Because I think it's quite fun."

I stand rigid, body pinned against his, and start trying to think of an intelligent response. Unfortunately, the right words don't come to me fast enough and I stay paralyzed and powerless. All I can manage is slightly dropped jaw.

He smirks and releases me, putting space between us. "Just kidding. Calm down."

Still paralyzed. _Mom, I'm really hoping you've got some timely advice for me. Go on, send it down into my head. I'm ready._

"Seriously, Haruhi."

I blink and spit out, "Right. Sorry."

"I can come back later, but we both know why I'm here. Word travels fast at this school."

Both of my hands go to cover my eyes and I . "No," I say, as I slide down the bookshelf until I hit the floor, "we should talk about it now. Might as well. Although I'm not sure I have anything of substance to say, sorry."

He sits down next to me, leaving a respectable amount of distance. "Stop apologizing over stuff that doesn't need apologizing for."

"Sorry." Normally, I'm much more articulate than this. How embarrassing. When he looks at me again, I smile sheepishly.

 _Really, Mom. Could seriously use some help right now. Preferably some grace and confidence, thanks._

Mori looks up at the ceiling blankly. "Looks like I've got myself a girlfriend," he suddenly says, grinning.

"You _what_?"

"I mean, what else would you expect? We're dating now."

"We are not dating, senpai. We can't- _I_ can't- _you_ can't." I shake my head and stare at him.

"Why not?"

When I don't respond- and I can't because no answer would ever convince him otherwise- he smirks again. He stands up and ruffles my hair.

As he walks away, he says quietly, "Bye, girlfriend." He shoots me a mocking look and in return, I stick my tongue out. I yell out that he's a jerk and he waves his hand dismissively before leaving the library.

For a while, I remain in my sitting position on the dirty marbled carpet. My fingers lightly trace over the edge of my black sneakers absently as I stare off into space. During this period of comforting oblivion, I can only think of three things: how study hall is about to end, that I need to make a run to my locker, and that I need to change my uniform pants because there's a little scuff on the knee from when I dropped to the floor moments earlier. It's easily been two minutes when I regain focus and think to myself,

 _What the hell just happened?_


End file.
